Shepherd are pleased to introduce this new optional rear bulkhead, made of high quality T7075 aluminium, which helps increase the overall performance of the Velox. This new part was specifically designed to lower the centre of gravity. By using this optional rear bulkhead, the main pulley, brake discs and the rear solid axle are lowered by about 3mm.
Source: Shepherd [team-shepherd.com]
KM Racing have released a complete new range of 1/10th scale foam tires. Available on either 2mm offset Kyosho rims or 0mm offset Velocity rims, the high quality Italian foam is sold in a wide range of shores for both the front and rear. The front and rears come in 35, 37, 40 and 42 shore.
Source: KM Racing [km-rc.com]
First seen on Red RC during our coverage from Thailand, Team Orion have officially announced the Vortex Race Spec BL ESC, a brushless speed controller designed for racers. It features a variable frequency system, a unique system that is responsible for the super smooth response of the controller through optimizing the driving frequency in relation to the throttle position. This ESC also sports an ultra low profile design, which has been achieved by designing the electronic components to be as flat as possible and by positioning them as low as possible. The Race Spec Controller comes with 5 pre-set setups which have been optimized by their international racing team and these settings work the best for the most popular categories. For pro’s who want to adapt the setups, it is possible to do so using a special USB cable and software. The brushless sensor technology is ready for motors with at least 4.5 turns (without fan) and 2.5 turn motors with fan and you can buy the controller with and without cooling set.
Click here to see more photos… content
Xray have released new steering blocks for their NT1 200mm chassis. Molded composite left & right steering blocks feature built-in 1° kingpin angle and are marked ‘L’ or ‘R’ for easy identification.
Source: Xray [teamxray.com]
Reedy have announced the release their all new 35C 5100mAh hard case competition saddle pack LiPo battery. The high capacity provides more than enough run time for today’s on and off road competitions. But the best news is the battery’s 35C rating, the C rating determines the battery’s ability to deliver power efficiently and Reedy’s 35C rating delivers world‐class power for all racing classes. The unique hard case design helps protect the battery in the event of a hard crash or ejection and direct wiring provides the least resistance possible and allows the installation of a favorite connector. An easy‐to‐use balance connector is also included.
Source: Reedy [rc10.com]
Tamiya America have officially announced that Ryan Lutz will represent Tamiya as their newest Team Driver and assist in research and development of new products. For the past two years, Ryan has received many titles such as 1st place Buggy and Truggy champion at the 2008 CRCRC, 2nd place winner at the 2007 Pro National Points and 2007 Roar Truck Nationals. When asked why he wanted to work for Tamiya, Lutz proudly said:
On the outside it is a company with a very rich racing heritage. Their on road program and race vehicles are all top notch and I know that the ingenuity and design from those world class products are now going into their new TRF 801XT Truggy and soon to be Buggy. For me, this is an extremely exciting opportunity to Pilot these vehicles and show the world what they are capable of. The most important thing for me during this time will be to be there for the consumers. I want to gain as much knowledge as possible while working for Tamiya so that I can better help out the consumer. They are who keeps this hobby alive.
Recently, Tamiya launched their first American designed vehicle, the TRF801xt Truggy. Lutz will contribute to similar new products that are designed in America. With Ryan Lutz, their new addition to the team, Tamiya hopes to continue conquering new ground.
Source: Tamiya [tamiyausa.com]
Team Associated have announced the RC8T-RS, the RTR version of their RC8T truggy, which comes fully assembled and set up, ready to hit the ground running. Team Associated’s Pro.28 engine and XP3D Computerized Digital FM Radio system are factory installed and the differentials and shocks come filled with silicone fluids, making it faster and easier than ever to get going. The car’s suspension features four composite 16mm ‘Big Bore’ shocks featuring extra large bladders and 4mm shock shafts for smooth action and durability. The shocks hang on 3mm low profile black aluminum shock towers for strength and reduced weight. It features a full-ball bearing drivetrain with 4.30:1 ratio gear boxes, and a high-torque capacity three-shoe clutch does the job of getting all the power to the drive train smoothly and efficiently. Getting the all the power to the ground is a set of six CVAs all featuring captured pins for bullet-proof reliability. The backbone of the RC8T-RS is a strong and durable 3mm black hard-anodized 7075 aluminium chassis that has been designed to take all of the punishment and abuse that a competitive 1:8 scale truggy will have to face in stride.
Click more to see the feature list and more photos… content
During the World Championships in Bangkok, Thailand last week, Russian company Awesomatix gave us some details of their future touring car project, which we first featured back in April 2007. Currently in the prototyping phase, the car has some unique features, biggest of which is the fact that it is shaft drive, a concept abandoned by manufacturers some time ago for a number of reasons, one of which was the torsional effect caused by the positioning of the motor, which conventionally ran perpendicular alongside the shaft. However this new car claims to have solved that problem by mounting the motor perpendicular to the central shaft, yet how the power gets transferred to the shaft is still to be confirmed. Also unique is the lack of shock towers, and in fact conventional shock absorbers, which we are told have been replaced by a special kind of damper mounted at chassis level, which not only helps to keep weight down but by their very nature can absorb small bumps better and help with directional changes. The prototype has been tested and even won a race in Finland on its debut, but dont expect it to be released anytime soon, there is still some testing to be done. We will bring you more details as we get them.
